Wellness Experts

Justin Bright, M.D., is a born and raised metro Detroiter, and is a board-certified emergency medicine physician at Henry Ford Hospital. He loves emergency medicine because he gets to help patients when they are the most sick and scared. He is a passionate educator, and credits the opportunity to teach medical students, residents and his patients on a daily basis as the best part of his job. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Bright is very committed to clean eating and working out regularly. If he's not at the gym, you'll likely find him on the golf course in the summer or skiing in the winter.

Stacy Leatherwood Cannon, M.D., is a pediatrician and the physician champion for childhood wellness for Henry Ford LiveWell. Dr. Leatherwood Cannon credits her love of helping people as the reason she became a doctor. She chose pediatrics because she is fascinated with children, their development and what she calls their incredible "bounce back ability.” She is currently writing a book and hopes to publish it in 2015. She considers her parents her heroes, noting that their hard work, sacrifice and belief in her have been the keys to her success.

Christina Eyers, Ed.D., AT, ATC, leads athletic training at Henry Ford’s Center for Athletic Medicine in Detroit. Educated at the University of Michigan, University of Alabama and Central Michigan University, Christina became a certified athletic trainer because as a young girl sport was big influence in her life. Pursuing a career in athletic medicine allowed her to continue that passion while helping others. Christina has also served as president for the Michigan Athletic Trainers Society and co-authored research in the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Christina’s dream vacation spot is on a remote beach in Tahiti with no phone or connection to the outside world - just a week of sun, surf and beach!

Pat Jurek, RD, MBA, is the manager for Henry Ford Macomb Hospital’s Center for Weight Management. Passionate about preventative disease management, Pat became a registered dietitian to help people live long, healthy lives. When Pat isn’t busy helping patients at Henry Ford, she's teaching others as an Adjunct Teacher at Baker College while making sure to make time for her family and friends. If she could spend a week anywhere in the world, she would visit Alaska.

Deirdre Mattina, M.D., is a Senior Staff Cardiologist at Henry Ford Hospital and Director of the Women’s Heart Center. She began her medical training at the University of Michigan Medical School and went on to complete her Internal Medicine Residency at Columbia University in New York City and, finally, her Cardiology Fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital. Dr. Mattina is board certified in Internal Medicine, General Cardiology, Echocardiography and Nuclear Cardiology. While she cares for patients with all types of cardiac conditions and risk factors, she has a special interest in preventive cardiology, women’s health and healthcare disparities.

Earlexia Norwood, M.D., is passionate about her patients living to their fullest potential. That is part of the reason she became a family medicine doctor. Her desire to help build healthy communities pushes her to educate people on wellness through events, speaking engagements and appearances on radio and television. In her multiple leadership positions at Henry Ford Health System, she also mentors other doctors and is an advocate for community health education. Throughout her career, Dr. Norwood has received a number of awards and acknowledgements, including HOUR Detroit’s Top Doc recognition multiple times. She is also involved in numerous professional associations, organizations and boards. If she wasn’t a doctor, Dr. Norwood would still want to help and serve the people as a lawyer or U.S. Senator.

Nick has been part of the Henry Ford team since 2013, and currently works with the student athletes at University of Detroit Jesuit High School, as well as serving in the role of Lead Athletic Trainer with Henry Ford Sports Medicine. He has also provided athletic training services to the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and the Great Lakes Loons, a Class A minor league affiliate of the L.A. Dodgers, as well as other high school teams. Nick was named High School Athletic Trainer of the Year in 2018 by the Michigan Athletic Trainers Society. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training/Sports Medicine from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in Kinesiology from Auburn University.

M. Elizabeth Swenor, D.O., has been practicing functional medicine for more than 15 years and leads the Functional Medicine program at the Henry Ford Center for Integrative Medicine. Her goal is to empower her patients with the knowledge and tools they need to achieve optimal health and wellness. Dr. Swenor strongly believes that all patients can improve their overall health by reducing whole body stress and inflammation by correcting metabolic imbalances through good nutrition. Board certified in family medicine, she has also received advanced certification in metabolic and nutritional medicine from the Metabolic Medical Institute and is also certified in anti-aging, regenerative and functional medicine by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.

Bethany Thayer, MS, RDN, is director of the Henry Ford Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Earning a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in exercise science from Oakland University (OU), Beth chose her career path because she was always intrigued by the blending of art and science to positively impact health. She enjoys communicating with people about healthy living and eating and was a national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for 9 years. Beth was named as Outstanding Dietitian of the Year by the Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2012 and served as their president in 2015-2016. If she could spend a week anywhere in the world, she would visit the Lake Michigan side of the Leelanau peninsula.

Kimberlydawn Wisdom, M.D., MS, is the Senior Vice President of Community Health & Equity and Chief Wellness & Diversity Officer for Henry Ford Health System. She served as Michigan’s first Surgeon General, appointed by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm in 2003. In February 2012, Dr. Wisdom was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as a member of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. She is the recipient of numerous awards, has authored several peer-reviewed publications, and appeared on national television, including ABC’s Nightline, and has presented to audiences across the country and internationally.
Dr. Wisdom is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician.

A health and wellness blog produced by Henry Ford Health System, and designed to share our knowledge on a variety of topics – from tips on eating healthy, staying fit and reducing stress to advice on chronic disease management and news on medical research and health technology.